5 Tips for Avoiding a DUI this Holiday Season

By
Mark R. De Yoe, APLC
|November 17, 2015

For many, the holiday season is an opportunity to spend time with friends
and family. Unfortunately, thousands are arrested for DUI during the holiday
season every year. This experience can turn the most joyful holiday season
into a legal nightmare, as you face criminal charges, fines, license suspension,
and even jail time. In this blog, our San Diego DUI defense attorney shares
five great tips to help you stay DUI-free this year.

1. Make Plans to Spend the Night

One of the best ways to avoid a DUI is to avoid the roads altogether. If
you’re going to a Christmas party or other holiday event, try to
make plans to spend the night there, or at a nearby hotel. Trust us –
spending a night on a friend’s couch is a lot better than spending
a night in jail!

2. Establish a Designated Driver

If spending the night isn’t an option, you can avoid DUI by selecting
a trustworthy and responsible designated driver. The key here is that
they are responsible – a designated driver does you no good if they
are intoxicated themselves!

3. Take a Taxi or Ride-Sharing Service

If you can’t get a designated driver you trust, a taxi or ride-sharing
service such as Lyft or Uber is the next best thing. While they are a
bit costlier than a designated driver, they are far, far cheaper than
a DUI conviction!

4. Drink Responsibly, or Don’t Drink at All

If you plan on driving anyway, it’s crucial to make sure you avoid
drinking, or at least drink responsibly. Portable breathalyzers are widely
available, and while the results aren’t always accurate, they can
help you figure out when you’re well below the legal limit.

5. Make Sure Your Car is in Good Condition

Car maintenance issues such as a broken taillight, expired registration,
and others can give police officers a valid excuse to pull you over, even
if you haven’t been driving erratically. At that point, any slight
slur in your speech or stumbling over your words can give the officer
probable cause to arrest you under suspicion of DUI.

The information on this website is for general information purposes only.
Nothing on this site should be taken as legal advice for any individual
case or situation. This information is not intended to create, and receipt
or viewing does not constitute, an attorney-client relationship.